The Complete Guide to Growing Corn in Containers - Garden and Happy

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The Complete Guide to Growing Corn

in Containers
By Masha Goepel

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The Complete Guide to Growing Corn in Containers - Garden and Happy

Growing corn can be immensely satisfying. Whether you choose old-fashioned

varieties, or something fun like popcorn, there’s nothing quite like watching it mature.
But did you know that it also grows well in pots? In fact, growing corn in containers is
an ideal solution for patios and smaller gardens.

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Uki_71 / Pixabay

When you think of corn, do you see wide open fields, waving in the winds of Ohio, or
Iowa? I know I do. I envision acres of green and gold corn growing tall in the setting
sun. That’s basically the ideal environment for growing this fabulous crop. But I don’t
have wide open fields, nor rolling acres to plant with corn, do you?

I have an acre of woodland garden, and many gardeners have much less space. With
patios and back decks instead of a back 40, can we grow corn without dedicating
acres to it? Can we put out a few pots of corn on the patio and still have a successful,
small corn harvest?

Yes! It’s absolutely possible to grow corn in pots. It isn’t easy, and container corn
yields are significantly smaller and less satisfying. In addition, growing corn in
containers can be really challenging. Container corn requires more attention, more
work, and more planning—but, it can be done.

Do you want to know how? Whether you’re growing corn for late summer barbecues

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The Complete Guide to Growing Corn in Containers - Garden and Happy

or autumn decorations, read on. It takes effort, but there is a deep sense of
satisfaction that comes from harvesting your own ears of homegrown corn.

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The Complete Guide to Growing Corn in Containers - Garden and Happy

Pick Your Pots

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Bergadder / Pixabay

Picking corn-growing containers can be a challenge!

This crop really doesn’t want to be grown in a container, as it prefers open fields. As a
result, when you’re choosing a pot for your corn, try to make that pot as welcoming as
possible.

Corn containers should have good drainage, width, depth, and stability. We definitely
don’t want a flimsy corn pot tipping over as the plants grow tall. Make sure your corn
has the space, nutrients, and drainage necessary to grow well. When you’re shopping,
keep in mind that a large terracotta pot or whiskey barrel planter is ideal.

Sharing Space

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The Complete Guide to Growing Corn in Containers - Garden and Happy

Corn is a social plant too. It needs close friends to grow well, and to help it produce
healthy corn cobs. In fact, if you can get your hands on an extra-large pot, consider a
“three sisters” container garden for ultimate health and yields.

This crop is air pollinated, which means that when the wind blows, pollen from one
plant fertilizes those that are nearby. This also means that to grow well, corn needs to
grow close together.

When you’re picking your pots, choose one that will accommodate at least 4 corn
plants. A round pot measuring about a foot in diameter and about a foot deep will be
perfect for 4 plants. For 6 plants, try a 18-20” diameter pot, a foot deep. Large,
whiskey-barrel planters can often hold 8-10 plants.

Location
Since pots this size aren’t likely to be moveable, find a very sunny spot to set them up.
Corn plants crave sunlight: think of those rolling hills full of corn—no shade there! Find
a spot in your garden or patio that gets full sunlight and dedicate that spot to corn.

You can use your corn plants as a privacy wall throughout the summer as well. Corn
grows tall quickly, even in pots. If you plant in May, your corn will be screening you
from view by midsummer. Corn in pots rarely grows to the full height of field corn (12-
15 feet), but it will reach 6-8 feet easily.

Filling the Pot

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The Complete Guide to Growing Corn in Containers - Garden and Happy

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Pexels / Pixabay

Corn is what’s called a “heavy feeder.” It’s a greedy plant that soaks up all the
nutrients it can find. Farmers often find that growing corn will destroy their soil if they
don’t take care to replenish the earth.

When you’re growing corn in containers, you don’t have to worry about draining your
garden soil. But, you do have to mix up some rich soil and continue to feed your plants
throughout the season.

Start with a fine, loamy potting mix. This mixture should have all the trace nutrients
your corn needs. But since corn feeds heavily on nitrogen and phosphorous, you’ll
want to boost those before planting.

Boosting the Soil

Mixing in some healthy compost, like well composted chicken manure, grass
clippings, and fish emulsion is a great way to boost your potting soil before planting.

Try adding a gallon scoop of compost for a 1 foot diameter pot. Mix the compost well
with the potting soil. This will give your young corn plants all the nutrients they need to
get started growing.

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The Complete Guide to Growing Corn in Containers - Garden and Happy

Varieties of Corn for Container Growing

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amykins / Pixabay

Not every variety of corn will grow well in containers. Be picky. Seek out a variety that
will succeed in small spaces. There are a few great options though. Let’s take a look
at them.

Short-Stemmed Varieties
Shorter varieties of corn do much better in pots than their larger cousins. These
compact options, like Trinity and Sweet Painted Mountain corns requires less space,
fewer nutrients, and are bred for tighter locations.

Choosing a short-stemmed variety will give your container corn a much better chance
at success. You corn will be less likely to end up stunted and under-nourished too.
While short-stemmed corn still requires a lot of attention as a container crop, it is a
forgiving option for the patio grower.

Container Varieties
A few seed companies are offering specialized, container corn seeds. These varieties
have been bred specifically for pots. From Burpee’s On Deck to Gurney’s Utopia

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The Complete Guide to Growing Corn in Containers - Garden and Happy

varieties, these corn plants are designed with containers in mind.

Unfortunately, the varieties of corn bred specifically for containers are often not
compatible with organic or natural gardening. All of Gurney’s corn seeds are treated
with pesticides and fungicides, so if you are planning to grow safe, sustainable corn
plants, look elsewhere. Burpee’s On Deck seeds are still GMO free and, while not
organic, do not seem to be treated.

Choose varieties you trust that are compatible with container gardening, even if they
aren’t specifically bred for it. (Check out popcorn varieties too!)

Planting and Caring for Your Corn

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bobitexshop / Pixabay

Now it’s time to plant!

Plant seeds about 6” apart along the outer circle of your pot. Keep them about 3-4
inches from the edge of the pot as well. Corn should be planted about an inch deep in
soil. Now, water your seeds well and let the sun do the rest. Corn will germinate in
about 10-14 days in cool weather (55-60 degrees) It can germinate in as little as 6
days in warm weather (65 degrees or more).

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The Complete Guide to Growing Corn in Containers - Garden and Happy

Water

Keep the soil moist throughout the growing season. Corn needs consistent water to
thrive. Growing corn in containers especially requires great drainage, and plenty of
water.

To keep your corn plants from drying out, try mulching with wood chips to hold in
moisture. You should be watering the corn pots every other day. In very hot, dry
weather and at the time of fruiting, water daily.

Nutrients

Feed your corn plants about 9 weeks after germination. A good fish emulsion is a
fantastic option, but any plant food with a 5-10-10 or 10-20-20 make up is going to be
just fine. Incorporate the nutrients into the soil well, if using a dry fertilizer. Try to keep
the plant food from touching the plant directly as well, to prevent any burning.

Harvest

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Couleur / Pixabay

Harvest your corn between 60 and 100 days after planting. Most container-friendly
varieties are harvested somewhere around 70 days. Most sweet corn varieties don’t

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The Complete Guide to Growing Corn in Containers - Garden and Happy

produce more than two ears of corn per plant. When growing in containers, your yield
may be less: one ear per plant at best.

The harvest from container corn can be disappointing. The best way to overcome the
odds and have a bountiful harvest is by choosing container-friendly varieties and
showering them with attention. Plant a few containers of 4-6 stalks each and set them
close together to encourage high pollination rates.

After a summer of hard work and dedicated attention, you’ll know your corn is ready to
pick when it’s completely filled out. Feel the tip of the ear, if it’s pointed, the corn
needs more time. If the tip is rounded or blunt, and the silks are dry, the ears are
ready.

So, Is it Worth It?

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vikvarga / Pixabay

That’s up to you to decide. Corn is always going to have a relatively low yield per
plant. If you’d be disappointed with only two ears of corn from a garden-grown plant,
then container corn is definitely not for you.

On the other hand, if you enjoy seeing those towering, green stalks along the sunny
side of your patio it could be great. Maybe you’d be thrilled with the 6-8 ears of corn

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The Complete Guide to Growing Corn in Containers - Garden and Happy

you can harvest off of 8 plants; or if you’re mainly growing corn stalks for their autumn
ambiance. If so, then go for it.

For the right person, container corn is a joy. Give it a try. Plant a wall of corn, step out
onto your patio, and imagine you’re in your own Iowa corn field. Sounds like fun to me!

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The Complete Guide to Growing Corn in Containers - Garden and Happy

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The Complete Guide to Growing Corn in Containers - Garden and Happy

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The Complete Guide to Growing Corn in Containers - Garden and Happy

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